100 YEARS AGO…
One of the most shocking tragedies Milam County had ever known occurred in the Forest Grove-Hicks community, nine miles south of Rockdale, when Lavina Alford, the 7-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Alford, met a horrible death by being dragged at the heels of the family buggy mare. It seemed that the child, with other children of about the same age, was playing in the horse lot, the old family mare being the object of their attention. The animal was known to be gentle and the children had been in the habit of swinging by her tail and climbing all over her at will. On this occasion, in an effort to find some new sport, one of the children tied a rope to the old mare’s tail, fastening the other end of the top to little Lavina’s ankle. The children then amused themselves by driving the mare around the lot with the little girl keeping step. A misstep, however, caused her to fall, and this frightened the animal which began running, only to become more frightened at feeling the weight of the dragging child. The mare finally jumped the lot fence, and dashed into the pasture, dragging the little girl several hundred yards before being stopped. When picked up the child was already dead and, upon medical examination being given, it was found that in addition to numerous cuts and bruises her neck was broken. It was thought that the breaking of the neck occurred when the mare jumped the fence. A funeral was held with interment being at Forest Grove cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Alford were receiving the sincere sympathy of our entire citizenship in this sad tragedy which robbed their home of one of its brightest lights and chiefest treasures.
40 YEARS AGO…
Four RHS seniors were named to the District 22AAA first team all-district basketball as selected by area coaches. Tigers David Woods and Scott Laird and Tigerettes Cindy Vogelpohl and Cecilia Holder were selected on the first team, according to coaches Dusty Lowe and Mary Ann Morgan.
Margaret Ann Pesl, a 14-year-old Rockdale 4-H club member, caught a calf in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on March 3, winning a $600 calf-purchase certificate.
20 YEARS AGO…
Rockdale’s newest financial institution open in Rockdale’s newest building at 1707 W. Cameron. Several hundred people turned out for the ribbon cutting, a catered breakfast and tours at the at the gleaming new, 6,300-square-foot First National Bank Building. (This is now Classic Bank.)
Rockda le re sident s spoke loud and clear for their library in a silent auction. Ann King, Friends of the Library president, said the event netted $5,178.50 toward renovation of the former Vogel Building and the current library.
10 YEARS AGO…
Rockdale’s Building Standards Commission said the Cameo Insurance Building was dangerous and had to come down, but its owners want to renovate and preserve the historic structure. On a 3-0 vote, with two abstentions, the commission gave owner Gloria Thrasher 14 days to “secure” the former Cameo Insurance Building, then 60 days to demolish it.
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